For Whom The Bell Tolls
by synisgod6661
Summary: Wakka finds himself in the midst of a struggle between his job and the woman who left him... i dont own this junk. just using it as inspriation...kinda.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The waves crashed lazily up onto the beach as a seagull flew circles above searching for his next meal. Relaxing in my beach chair I flipped my sunglasses down and took another sip of my my thai. Somewhere off in the distance a young couple laughed as they ran down the sand. Then nothing. The only sounds that I registered were those of the waves, the wind and the birds above. I felt all my muscles relax, this was truly nirvana. I had almost dosed off when I heard someone call my name. As my eyes opened I saw a young, dark haired cocktail waitress standing above me and smiling. I asked her to repeat her request and as she did her eyes began to blink something. I blinked to make sure my vision to wasn't going bad. When she opened her mouth again all I heard was a loud obnoxious buzzing sound. The closer she leaned down to me the louder it got. Suddenly I awoke with a start.

I immediately reached over and smacked the snooze button on my alarm clock. It read 5:45 am. _The joys of this job_, I thought as I sat up wearily and stretched my arms. My apartment was empty save for my cat Jimi, who looked over at me as he yawned and stretched as well. It had been nearly two years since Lulu and I had parted ways. In that time I had dabbled in the relationship game, but never found something to really latch onto. _Maybe some people just aren't meant for love,_ I thought as I found my way out of bed and began preparing my uniform and packing my bag for the upcoming shift. As I sifted through my closet to find my station boots I noticed my old blitzball gear. A thin smile came across my face as my mind flashed back to our playing days on Besaid Island.

_I raced down the court at full speed, heart pounding, my mind and body working on instinct. As I looked at the clock it seemed to freeze at 1.5 seconds. "Plenty of time", I said to myself as I got in position for the final shot. The referee handed Tidus the ball and almost in a flash it was in my hands. I launched my shot at the goal just as time expired. The ball whipped through the air as though it were a bullet piercing flesh. It reached the goal just in time for…the goaltender to knock it out of the air with his hand like a child swatting a mosquito. The game was over. We lost 2-1 in double overtime. I had never felt so alone in my life._

I quickly washed the thought from my mind and pushed my gear away as I went and showered. A light rain had begun to fall as I loaded my bag into the back of my 4-Runner. Getting in as fast as I could I started the engine and pulled away from my apartment. A tinge of what seemed like excitement and nervousness began to form in my stomach. I had been doing this job ever since I was 18, but this was the first time that I was going to be in charge of my own rig. It was simultaneously the most exciting and scary feeling I had ever experienced. I pulled into the parking lot of Destiny Island Fire/Rescue District Station 1, parked in the back and walked in.

After getting my turnouts stowed away just where I wanted them my next task was a check over of everything on the ambulance…my ambulance. I had done it a million times in the past, but this was the first time that I was doing it for me and not somebody else. This time _I _was the paramedic of the rig. I smiled at the thought and climbed in back to begin checking around. The first thing to go was the pre-packed IV set that the last shift had left. I shook my head and quickly disassembled it. Some guys liked these little things because they thought it made it faster for them to get to their IV supplies in a pinch. Not me. I hated when everything was bundled up like that. I checked the Saline bag and after noting that it had neither expired nor been used I hung it from the cot bar on the ceiling. Before doing so however I made sure that I hung the drip set along with it. This way in a pinch I could be ready to flow fluids into a patient in a hurry. I nodded to myself and finished with my check of the ambulance. After putting everything exactly how I wanted it I went into the crew room and ate breakfast with the rest of my shift. Sitting down at the table I noticed a familiar face. It was Blake Strife, Cloud's younger brother. He had just recently graduated high school the previous semester, but I had been under the impression that he and Alexa were moving to Cloud City to attend the University there. He was dressed in a full uniform, badge shirt and all. His badge however was that of a member of the volunteer force. I couldn't help but smile at his desire to impress. The rest of the crew, myself included, had all hung out badge shirts in our rigs. Blake it seemed didn't quite get the message. I sat next to him to eat.

"Aren't you Cloud's little brother," I asked applying jam to my bagel. "Y-yes sir I am," he replied. I just smiled at him. "Blake, dude it's me, Wakka. And don't call me sir, I work for a living. Did you get breakfast?" I asked taking a bite of my bagel and looking at the newspaper. He shook his head no and I invited him to help himself to something because it was probably going to be a long day. As he did so I asked what he was here for, to which he replied that he was on a ride-along for his basic EMT certification. _Well so much for sleeping tonight, _I thought as he returned to the table. It had never failed that whenever we had a ride-along during the day, business was non-existent. However as soon as the person left all hell broke loose. I nodded and asked if he had any paperwork or anything he needed to study while he was here. "I brought my text book, but my teacher said I was just supposed to follow you guys and do what you tell me to do to the letter." I nodded a little throwing my plate away and said, "Sounds good. After you eat I'll take you out in the bay and have you look through our ambulance so you know where everything is in case one of us needs something." Blake nodded and finished his food.

We went out into the bay and I showed him where I kept my IV supplies, bandages, trauma supplies and other things. His main job for me today I told him was going to be to check and recheck the patient's vital signs. He nodded in agreeance, although he looked disappointed. I smiled a little and told him that if the situation allowed I would let him bandage a few wounds and maybe do patient assessments. "But remember, the life safety of the patient comes first." I reminded him as we stepped back inside. "Of course sir…Wakka I mean" he said. Just as we walked back in the loud speaker in the station went off. Our first call of the day. "Engine 1, Rescue 11, code 3 response, ground level fall, 1157 Main Street" _And a decent one no less, _I thought as we raced to our respective pieces of equipment. "Blake climb in the captain's chair in back and buckle up," I said. The youngster nodded as me and my partner, Seth Greenwood, an EMT-Intermediate, got in the front of the ambulance and buckled up.

In a flash we were on our way, sirens blaring, as cars parted ways in our path. _A regular Moses act. _The building, which I had thought sounded familiar, came into view. No doubt the reason I found it familiar was because it was the Destiny Island Foundation. The very same building which Kairi and Sora worked at. As we got out I directed Blake to carry our first out bag with us while my partner and I grabbed the heart monitor and the gurney. As we entered the lobby, the receptionist directed us to the elevator and told us that our patient was on the 58th floor. As we stepped in I commented to Seth, "Nice of them to leave him up there for us wasn't it?" "Hmm. Good thing these elevators are wide enough to fit the gurney", he said as the elevator rose up. I looked at Blake, "Your job is going to be to bandage any wounds and get vital signs while me and Seth get the monitor hooked up and an IV started." He nodded looking visibly nervous at the task I had just given him. "First call," I asked. "Ya…I'm a little nervous," he admitted looking down at the floor. "Don't worry. Everyone has a first time. You'll be ok," I reassured him as the elevator dinged, stopping on the 58th floor.

We stepped out and a young lady came running towards us. Looking closer I noticed it was none other then Kairi. "Wakka! Thank god you guys are here! Shes over there, it's , she tripped on a cord and I think she hit her head on the desk when she fell. Help her!" I looked at my partner and asked him to continue talking to Kairi as Blake and I approached our patient. She looked to be in her mid forties, dark hair, fairly pretty for a woman her age. She was holding a paper towel over her forehead which was soaked through with blood as a small crowd gathered around her. I let Blake handle the initial assessment while I talked to Sora, Kairi's husband, about what happened since his desk was right next to hers. "I don't know, I was just sitting here typing away and suddenly I heard a big thud." I nodded and asked if he thought she had lost consciousness. He said he didn't think so. Kairi came over and added that she just saw the lady walking through the office when she tripped on a loose cable and fell, hitting her head on the desk. I had noticed the cord and a blood stain on the desk. "Ok, thanks guys", I said stepping over to Blake and kneeling down next to him. "What'd you get," I asked. He went over his information and after double checking with the lady we made a decision to take her to the hospital. She agreed, but said she wanted someone to ride along with her because she was afraid of ambulances. I nodded and asked if she had any family or anyone who would be willing to go with her. She shook her head, "No my son is in the army and my husband died last fall." Just then Kairi piped up from the crowd. "I'll go." I looked back at Mrs. Robinson, "Kairi said she would ride with you. Is that ok?" "Yes of course, just as long as someone is with me to hold my hand." I nodded and motioned to my crew that we were going to get going. We got Mrs. Robinson to lay on the gurney and put her in the back of the ambulance for the ride to the hospital.

The trip into the medical center was uneventful. After we dropped our patient off, I told Blake to sit up front while myself and Kairi sat in back and talked on our way back to her office. She looked over at me as I was finishing my paperwork and asked "Why did you and Lulu break up?" I looked up at her slightly surprised and replied simply "Just wasn't working anymore." "But you two have a child together…how could you just suddenly fall out of love like that?" _Poor, ignorant Kairi. Still haven't figured out that life isn't a fairy tale yet._ I managed to force a grin, "Kai, not all of has gets our fairy tale ending." She frowned at me and said, "Well I just don't understand. Don't you two feel anything for each other anymore?" "Other then sheer hatred, no we don't", I replied coldly. "But what about Kayla?" I shrugged a little sitting back in my chair. "I get her on the weekends; Lulu has her during the week. It works better that way because if I'm on shift I can't take her to and from school." "Don't you get lonely in that apartment all by yourself though," she asked pressing the issue. I smiled, "That's what I have you and Sora for. Whenever I get lonely I can just come thrash your place." She just shook her head. I smiled again, "Kai, not all of us are as lucky as you and Sora are to have found true love." She shrugged and asked if I was still coming over for the UFC party on Thursday. "Assuming I don't work overtime, ya I'll be there. You guys better not have that Miller Genuine Draft crap to drink either." She laughed a little, "Sora loves that stuff. I think it tastes terrible." "You're not the only one," I said as we pulled up to her office building. "Ok get off my bus," I said letting her out the back door. She smiled and waved good bye as we turned around and headed back to the station.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The rest of the day was uneventful for the most part. We put Blake through a few patient assessment scenarios and signed off his check sheet. I even taught him how to spike an IV bag in case he ever rode with me again. After he left we drove to the store to pick up our supplies for the rest of our time at work. As we did our shopping a few people waved at us to which we replied with the standard polite wave and smile back method. As we were standing in the checkout line I heard a familiar voice call my name from somewhere in the back. I spun around and scanned the area and finding nothing I turned back and waited in line talking to Seth. "Wakka," the voice repeated. I turned around again and immediately saw who it was. _Christy. Shit._ Having noticed who was calling my name I decided to act like I hadn't seen her. "Wakka!" she repeated. "I think someone is trying to get your attention," Seth said as we began to unload the cart. I let out a heavy sigh and acknowledged her in the most civil way I knew how.

"Hey what's up, I didn't see you there", I said faking a smile. "Oh not much, just shopping for me and the baby. Are you on shift," she asked seemingly eyeing me up and down. _No shit._ "Ya, I'm on over at Station 1," I said putting my hands in my pockets while trying to avoid looking at her. She nodded and continued, "You know, I saw Lulu and Kayla the other day." "Oh really?" I said. "Where were they at?" _Probably her pimp's house._ "She was picking her up from daycare. Her and Jason go to the same one so that's why we ran into each other," she said as we moved up in the line. I looked over my shoulder at Seth hoping he was almost done getting our groceries unloaded but alas found that he was only halfway through. He seemed to catch my glance and just smiled. Something told me he was going slowly on purpose. I reached around back and turned the volume on my radio up hoping it would tone so I could have an excuse to cut this conversation short. "You know, when I talked to her Lulu had said that she wanted to sit down and talk to you. She said that Kayla really misses her father." _Just as much as her mother misses not having my credit card,_ I thought. "Well, we've tried that before and it hasn't worked in the past. I can't believe it would work this time," I said shrugging. Christy began unloading her groceries on the counter opposite of where Seth was just now finishing with ours. As she did she looked at me and said "You know, I think it's worth a try. Jason's father left me when he was a month old and I have been lonely and miserable ever since. You wouldn't believe how hard it is to raise a child on your own." I had to keep myself from snapping at her so I just shrugged and said "I have some idea." As if acting by a script, my partner had decided to finish paying for our groceries and strolled over to where me and Christy had been talking. "Ok, let's get back, I think Cap's probably getting hungry," he said smiling sarcastically at me. I nodded and quickly excused myself from Christy and walked hurriedly out to the ambulance to load everything.

The ride back to the station was quiet until Seth piped up at a stoplight. "Friend of yours?" "Hardly," I snorted. He laughed and said, "She was eyeing you up pretty good. Might be worth a shot." I just looked at him. "Are you fucking serious?" He found the whole situation so amusing that he nearly had to pull over to keep from wrecking the ambulance. I just shook my head and sat quietly until we got back to the station.

After we ate dinner I went into my room and set up for the night. At 10 the rest of the crew went to their rooms and shut down for the night. I laid in my bed staring at the ceiling and thinking about everything I had heard that day. Was Lulu really willing to talk and start over? I found it nearly impossible to believe. My mind flashed back to that fateful day two years ago…

_The apartment was unusually quiet when I came home. "Hello?" I called as I walked in the door and set my bag down on the couch. No answer. I went into Kayla's room and checked to see if maybe she and Lulu were asleep in the chair. Nothing. _That's odd,_ I thought to myself. _She usually answers when I say hello. And where the hell is the baby? Somethin ain't right here. _As I continued my search a strange scent began to emanate from my and Lulu's bedroom. Almost instantly I knew what it was that I smelled. _Pot. _The thought hardly seemed to compute. Walking quietly to the room I cracked open to door to see what was up. The sight was almost too much to bear. There in the middle of the bed was Lulu. She was seated with a broken piece of mirror to her left with some white powder residue and a razor blade above it. To her right was a pile of pills, a bowl for smoking pot and what looked like uncapped syringes. I had to blink my eyes more then once for the image to compute. There seated directly in front of me, almost mockingly, was the woman with whom I had not only been involved with for the last year and a half, but who the mother of my child was. It was more then I could take. I burst into the door nearly ripping it from its hinges. "What the fuck are you doing?!?!" She jumped almost 3 feet of the bed and looked at me like a deer caught in the headlights of a semi-truck…_

The loud, piercing shrill of the station tone blasted the memory from my head. "Engine 1, Rescue 11, Engine 2, Rescue 2, Battalion 2, Training 2, code 3 response, confirmed structure fire, 961 West White Cloud Avenue." Almost instantly I recognized the street address. _Lulu's parents house. _Christy had told me that she and the baby had been staying there for the past few weeks. Without even thinking I flew out of my bed and sprinted to the ambulance.


End file.
